The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · by **spiritofcat** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:30 am

This is my first Gundam to TF Kitbash idea. The second being Jetfire from Zeta Plus A1 Test Color Gundam.

The idea, as the title suggests, is to kitbash Scourge from a 1/144 High Grade Abyss Gundam model kit.

The similarity between the Abyss and Scourge is quite remarkable to begin with.
- Similar colour schemes.
- Similar wings.
- The Abyss even has a sort of tube on top of its head just like Scourge does.
- They both transform into futuristic hovercraft sort of things.

I'll attach a digibash of the robot mode a which I made a while back to show the general idea.

However, after further research, I've discovered a few things that I think I'll do differently in the final version.
- I'll leave the back of his legs white, and only paint the front of his shins because that's more like how he is in both the G1 toy and various images I've seen.
- I'll paint the piece in the middle of his chest grey to match the grey panel in his chest in the toy.

I'm not sure yet what colour his hands should be. The gundam has dark grey hands with white backs, the G1 toy has blue hands, and the G1 toon has him with white hands and red fingernails/talons.
I'm inclined to go with the toon version, but the model only has little fists for hands anyway, so you don't really get to see the ends of his fingers anyway.
The SD Destiny Gundam that I built just a little white ago has two sets of hands, one being fists, and the other set being open with fingers splayed. Those hands are compatible with this model, so I'm thinking I might use them and paint the ends of the fingers red. The Destiny Gundam won't miss them because I display him holding his weapons anyway.

Since this kit is already mostly the right colours, I'm going the lazy way and just painting the bits that are the wrong colours. I'm using Gundam Markers, and painting the parts while they're still on the runners. I've already started painting bits, so once they dry I'll get on with construction. Expect photos soon.

by **Deadpool.** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:34 am

Are you gonna leave the cannons in the "wings" inside? If you do, it'll be unable to transform perfectly..

News Credits: 1 · by **spiritofcat** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 6:49 am

In the instructions it says to remove the black panels from inside the wings before transforming. I'm considering leaving them out all the time.

Here's a couple of photos of the progress so far:

by **zemper** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:34 am

cool! keep this bash up. can't wait to see Scourge's face on a Gundam head.

:MAX:

News Credits: 1 · by **Venomous Prime** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:54 am

Awesome, not the Scourge I was expecting...but still awesome :grin:

News Credits: 1 · by **rpetras** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:27 am

I've seen this mold before and thought the same thing.

I can't wait to see how it turns out!

News Credits: 1 · by **spiritofcat** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:43 pm

zemper wrote:cool! keep this bash up. can't wait to see Scourge's face on a Gundam head.

:MAX:

Uh, I just posted pics of Scourge's face on a Gundam head... Or do you think it needs more work? I was thinking maybe it could use a mouth.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!
I don't have much time to work on it today or tomorrow, or even the next day :sad:

, but I'll definitely be getting it done as soon as possible. I'll keep you all informed of my progress.

by **Crushgroove** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:58 pm

Nice...

by **zemper** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:46 pm

spiritofcat wrote:
zemper wrote:cool! keep this bash up. can't wait to see Scourge's face on a Gundam head.

Uh, I just posted pics of Scourge's face on a Gundam head... Or do you think it needs more work? I was thinking maybe it could use a mouth.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!
I don't have much time to work on it today or tomorrow, or even the next day , but I'll definitely be getting it done as soon as possible. I'll keep you all informed of my progress.

no, it's coming along nicely, but according to your digibash the head still needs the moustache and goatee, maybe mouth to really look like Scourge (the bash paints the moustache grey). but it IS good work! keep it up.

an idea: the black on the face looks like panel lining instead of the look you are trying to convey, how about molding a little putty into the moustache parts and paint it grey/violet?

News Credits: 972 · by **i_amtrunks** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:22 pm

Very nice Spiritocat..

Looking forward to the final version, wings and all!

News Credits: 1 · by **Asepticon** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:47 pm

Very nice clean job. Have you thought of actually sculpting the Mustache and beard on? Most figs don't just have it painted.

News Credits: 1 · by **spiritofcat** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:24 am

I only have a limited range of colours with these gundam markers. What looks like black there is actually metallic grey, but it comes out quite dark looking.
I can try to mix it with some white, like I did for the chest piece.
The cheek guards on the helmet sort of obscure the edges of the moustache too.
Yeah, after looking at it again I think I'll trim back the edges of the helmet, bring the top of the mo down a bit to form more of a straight line, and try to lighten the colour a bit.

by **olokin** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:21 am

Any pics of the gundam in hovercraft mode?

News Credits: 1 · by **spiritofcat** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:37 pm

olokin wrote:Any pics of the gundam in hovercraft mode?

Here's the HLJ page for the model, it has a pic of the hovercraft mode: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN933917
I meant to make a link to it in the first post. I'll go edit it now.

Anyway, I tried trimming the top of the moustache flat and getting it to be a lighter grey. Here's a couple of pics showing the result, without the front of the helmet obscuring the edges this time (I haven't got to removing the cheekguards yet.)
Also, I'm holding it in my fingers in these shots to give a sense of scale. This thing is SMALL, and so it is hard to get the details exact.
Sorry the photos are a bit blurry but the camera doesn't like focussing on such small things.
I think it's looking a lot better now though.

Still wondering if he needs a nose or mouth drawn or sculpted in some way. I'm leaning towards not. The facial hair, and the tube on top of the head are the things that really define scourge's face to me.

by **zemper** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:51 pm

spiritofcat wrote:
olokin wrote:Any pics of the gundam in hovercraft mode?
Here's the HLJ page for the model, it has a pic of the hovercraft mode: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN933917
I meant to make a link to it in the first post. I'll go edit it now.

Anyway, I tried trimming the top of the moustache flat and getting it to be a lighter grey. Here's a couple of pics showing the result, without the front of the helmet obscuring the edges this time (I haven't got to removing the cheekguards yet.)
Also, I'm holding it in my fingers in these shots to give a sense of scale. This thing is SMALL, and so it is hard to get the details exact.
I think it's looking a lot better now though.

cool! now that's much better.

the grey adds a sense of depth and makes the face less-Gundamlike; this is so much better than just painting the moustache and goatee black (as it would lead many to believe that it was just panel-lined and not painted). really looks more like Scourge now.

News Credits: 1 · by **spiritofcat** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:39 am

More pics!
I've trimmed the helmet so that it doesn't conceal as much of his face now.
I've also built his shoulders and wings.

by **olokin** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:42 am

the progress is looking good!

by **Tom_Servo** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:48 am

Looks like it's coming together nicely!
I'd give it a nose and "cheekbones" by whittling down the face-place, then building up the mustache under it. The mustache will give the impression of a mouth without having to make it separately. That's how I did the face on my Longarm to Wreck-Gar custom.
But if you don't want to get into epoxys (or actual hair) you could do just as well to cut the mustache in with an exacto knife. It's tiny work, but that can work in your favor!
Just remember- Cut Away From Your Hand!

News Credits: 1 · by **rpetras** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:44 pm

Do whiskers like Servo's Wreck-Gar! That was awesome!

No, it wouldn't look right on Scourge, but would be fun to see a shot or 2 like that. HA!

Lookin' good though! Nice work.

News Credits: 972 · by **i_amtrunks** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:25 pm

I say stop now SoC! He looks really creepy and menacing enough without a body!

News Credits: 1 · by **spiritofcat** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:18 pm

i_amtrunks wrote:I say stop now SoC! He looks really creepy and menacing enough without a body!

You want creepy? Check out these new photos!
He's got hands now, with red nails and everything...
These hands come courtesy of the SD Destiny Gundam. I'll also be building his regular hands so he can hold a weapon, and so they'll fit inside his wings when he transforms.

by **zemper** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:05 am

nice, looking good! i i especially like the red, really like Scourge on this one.

by **olokin** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 11:32 am

Scourge looks ready to hunt down unsuspecting Autobots!

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:55 pm

That looks real good, man I wish I could get Gundams around here.

News Credits: 1 · by **Wheeljack-S70** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:59 pm

spiritofcat, this is such a great idea and it's looking really good so far. I especially like the hands. I think another thing that works well for mustaches is super thin styrene. I've used it to cut out little head crests my prowl and his brothers. It looked really clean and smooth.
so how tall is this bad boy gonna be when it's all said and done.
thanks for sharing.